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Honda Civic
- Thread starter Sushubh
- Start date
- Replies 61
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the diff between petrol and hybrid model is just around Rs 50K. so petrol model makes no sense (unless you are worried about potential problems you might face in smaller cities)...the price is for a limited time duration as they are clearing the Year 2008 stock. next year might see the updated model with the much higher price tag.the problem is.the indian mentality is such that people would wait for honda to drop the price again late next year (they might or they might not).so people are NOT going to go for the hybrid when the prices go up again early next year. and yeah. 8 lakhs is too much money for ANYONE. i would hate to be one of the 50 people who bought the civic hybrid at the original price tag.
vishalrao
The Global Village Idiot
Alright, the chance to test drive the 2006 Civic fell through this weekend
(apparently it's a lemon) but luckily was able to schedule a dealer test
drive this morning.
Missed the Japanese F-1 race on TV due to the timing 😀 (no spoilers please!).
I daren't post this on tbhp coz it will just get trashed again for offending
Altis owners/fans (the poor sods) not to mention the writeup really isn't up to any
technical quality mark as you will soon see!
So, the Honda guy showed up at 10am with a silver Civic V-MT. As the car rolled
up to our gate and idled I immediately noted the car had a deeper/smoother exhaust
note/rumble making it *sound* more powerful than the Altis.
Getting in and out (ingress/egress) was surprisingly effortless for the driver's and
rear passenger's seats even though I've heard the Civic is relatively lower slung.
Confirmed with my mom n dad who complain about many cars but not about this one (phew).
First things first, adjusted the steering and driver's seat for max space and there
was way more legroom/comfort for driver and rear passenger.
Then I just sat there for a while looking around at the interiors. I'm sorry but the
quality "trim level" looks and feels a significant notch above the Altis especially
the steering wheel wrapping (claimed to be leather) which was a little softer (but
not too soft) and had better grip although it might just be synthetic/polyeurethane/whatever.
Not to mention the instrument cluster, which, as it's been repeated before by others, is
futuristic with the digital readouts except for the tachometer which is just the way I like it!
It's been called a "cockpit" before and yes you do get that feeling and no, its not like the cockpit
of a jet fighter as most of them say, its more like that of a spacecraft with that trippy blue glow!
I started to play with the electronically retractable mirrors (opening and closing them) with
images of ASIMO and Kraftwerk's "The Robots" playing in my head when the Honda guy asked whether
I was going to start the test drive this year or what. Yes, I need to grow up.
Starting the engine was quicker and less "jarring" than the Altis. I revved the engine up to
4000 rpm but really could not see/judge what people mean by "Civic has a more free-revving engine".
The Altis' engine revved just as freely (responsiveness) but then I'd tested it a week ago so no chance of a
back-to-back as is usually recommended one should do. I should note that just as the car arrived it
started to rain a little and by the time I started the engine and drove on it was pouring so the
noise of the rain might have spoilt it for me.
I drove along the Pune-Sholapur road (near KROME mall) and also took it over the B. T. Kawade road
flyover. The Honda guy was friendly and "bindaas" when I asked if I may drive it "a little fast" he
smiled and said "go right ahead". With the rains and traffic I wasn't able to go past 60 kmph but
it was more about the "ripping" (acceleration) than the top speed. That too I hesitated to take it
past 4000 rpm even though I was tempted to redline it but stopped myself partially out of courtesy
and partially because I was chicken. Yes, the engine note is more satisfying than the Altis but both
sound like pretty much standard inline-4s, if you want smooth you need a V6. Unfortunately, try as
I might I was not able to recognise the "free revving sporty engine noise" again maybe due to the
rain noise. Low-end pull was "good enough for me" - again I was unable to judge what people say
that the Toyota has better low-end bhp/torque - I think they're just saying that because the printed
tech specs show it to be about 300 rpm lower. I was stoked by the description of the VTEC "dual mode"
blah operation on page 13 of the tbhp thread link I pasted in a previous post in this thread.
Now here's something I know the Honda guy never before in his life saw a test driver do - "pick up speed then
downshift the gears to slow down" - he gave me a worried stare like I going to seize up his beloved VTEC
so I told him what "engine braking" was about. Surprisingly this was more fun than trying to rev it up,
at least during the TD.
Suspension seemed as "stiff" as the Altis, yet it seemed to soak up the bumps and vibrations much better.
I don't have too much hope that this car will be a good handler but I don't usually drive it that way - no
fast/sharp turns - for me its the grunt/overtaking that matters more - at least in a car meant to be
used for daily commutes.
In comparison the Altis felt like a smaller/lighter car, almost toyish, and the engine revved more noisily
and sounded plainer (like a Maruti haha) too. The Civic's throttle is a little firmer - just enough "tension" to not
make me nervous like the Altis' feather-light pedal and I had no problem modulating the RPMs
during the test drive, especially when starting off from a standstill. The Civic's gear lever is
like a stub with no grip/handle you have to pretty much use your fingers rather than grab the whole thing -
it could have been more meaty. The notches were also finer/closer like a Maruti 1000 and the first few times I
shifted from 2nd to 5th missing 3rd but adjusted and got a hang of it quickly during the TD itself. I was so
trying to focus on the engine (and enjoying the TD) that I forgot a few things like checking steering feedback - it's a little
heavier than the Altis' ultra-light-and-easy steering - and the way I'd like it.
Music system is (speakers are) of a "good quality" - now let me qualify that by saying I'm no
audiophile - but before listening to it I'd thought I would need to add a subwoofer but now it looks
like even that's not needed for me.
This time I didn't allow my folks to accompany me during the main TD because they wouldn't stop
chattering the last time and let me concentrate. This time I asked the Honda guy to drive
(after I'd done my TD) while my mom and I sat in the back and he took my dad for a third
outing while he sat in the back. This time got the thumbs-up from them that the back was plenty
spacious and the ride was comfortable 🙂
The Honda guy was quite knowledgeable, cooperative and enthusiastic the entire time so that was
another thing that impressed me and my folks and we noted that when he went on his way.
So in the end, I only took a TD of the Altis last week because it's "cheaper and better equipped" than
the Civic and also many user reviews claim it's a good (if not better) car. I have to say its just plain
incorrect, the Civic is well worth the extra cost, and not just from a "driving enthusiast" point of
view but also from other aspects like the feel of luxury and build quality (its like a segment above) and
the roomy interiors. I just remembered I didn't open the Civic's boot - the Altis' was like a cargo truck -
but it's not important to me and I'm guessing it will be smaller given the longer wheelbase and roomy rear legroom.
If Honda's range and cost of vehicles were closer to Toyota's (like if they added an Innova competitor) then
they (Toyota) would have to pack up their bags and shut their India operations.
I'm now totally smitten with the Civic's looks and performance and this is the car to get. Only if it
doesn't work out will I bother to move on to testing others like the Cedia, City and Fiesta. This would
be a very nice upgrade from the dull (and sometimes painfully annoying) daily Palio ride that I've had
to endure for a few years now.
----------
From the Honda website (and newspaper ad): http://www.hondacarindia.com/images/media_center/civic-interior2.jpg
(apparently it's a lemon) but luckily was able to schedule a dealer test
drive this morning.
Missed the Japanese F-1 race on TV due to the timing 😀 (no spoilers please!).
I daren't post this on tbhp coz it will just get trashed again for offending
Altis owners/fans (the poor sods) not to mention the writeup really isn't up to any
technical quality mark as you will soon see!
So, the Honda guy showed up at 10am with a silver Civic V-MT. As the car rolled
up to our gate and idled I immediately noted the car had a deeper/smoother exhaust
note/rumble making it *sound* more powerful than the Altis.
Getting in and out (ingress/egress) was surprisingly effortless for the driver's and
rear passenger's seats even though I've heard the Civic is relatively lower slung.
Confirmed with my mom n dad who complain about many cars but not about this one (phew).
First things first, adjusted the steering and driver's seat for max space and there
was way more legroom/comfort for driver and rear passenger.
Then I just sat there for a while looking around at the interiors. I'm sorry but the
quality "trim level" looks and feels a significant notch above the Altis especially
the steering wheel wrapping (claimed to be leather) which was a little softer (but
not too soft) and had better grip although it might just be synthetic/polyeurethane/whatever.
Not to mention the instrument cluster, which, as it's been repeated before by others, is
futuristic with the digital readouts except for the tachometer which is just the way I like it!
It's been called a "cockpit" before and yes you do get that feeling and no, its not like the cockpit
of a jet fighter as most of them say, its more like that of a spacecraft with that trippy blue glow!
I started to play with the electronically retractable mirrors (opening and closing them) with
images of ASIMO and Kraftwerk's "The Robots" playing in my head when the Honda guy asked whether
I was going to start the test drive this year or what. Yes, I need to grow up.
Starting the engine was quicker and less "jarring" than the Altis. I revved the engine up to
4000 rpm but really could not see/judge what people mean by "Civic has a more free-revving engine".
The Altis' engine revved just as freely (responsiveness) but then I'd tested it a week ago so no chance of a
back-to-back as is usually recommended one should do. I should note that just as the car arrived it
started to rain a little and by the time I started the engine and drove on it was pouring so the
noise of the rain might have spoilt it for me.
I drove along the Pune-Sholapur road (near KROME mall) and also took it over the B. T. Kawade road
flyover. The Honda guy was friendly and "bindaas" when I asked if I may drive it "a little fast" he
smiled and said "go right ahead". With the rains and traffic I wasn't able to go past 60 kmph but
it was more about the "ripping" (acceleration) than the top speed. That too I hesitated to take it
past 4000 rpm even though I was tempted to redline it but stopped myself partially out of courtesy
and partially because I was chicken. Yes, the engine note is more satisfying than the Altis but both
sound like pretty much standard inline-4s, if you want smooth you need a V6. Unfortunately, try as
I might I was not able to recognise the "free revving sporty engine noise" again maybe due to the
rain noise. Low-end pull was "good enough for me" - again I was unable to judge what people say
that the Toyota has better low-end bhp/torque - I think they're just saying that because the printed
tech specs show it to be about 300 rpm lower. I was stoked by the description of the VTEC "dual mode"
blah operation on page 13 of the tbhp thread link I pasted in a previous post in this thread.
Now here's something I know the Honda guy never before in his life saw a test driver do - "pick up speed then
downshift the gears to slow down" - he gave me a worried stare like I going to seize up his beloved VTEC
so I told him what "engine braking" was about. Surprisingly this was more fun than trying to rev it up,
at least during the TD.
Suspension seemed as "stiff" as the Altis, yet it seemed to soak up the bumps and vibrations much better.
I don't have too much hope that this car will be a good handler but I don't usually drive it that way - no
fast/sharp turns - for me its the grunt/overtaking that matters more - at least in a car meant to be
used for daily commutes.
In comparison the Altis felt like a smaller/lighter car, almost toyish, and the engine revved more noisily
and sounded plainer (like a Maruti haha) too. The Civic's throttle is a little firmer - just enough "tension" to not
make me nervous like the Altis' feather-light pedal and I had no problem modulating the RPMs
during the test drive, especially when starting off from a standstill. The Civic's gear lever is
like a stub with no grip/handle you have to pretty much use your fingers rather than grab the whole thing -
it could have been more meaty. The notches were also finer/closer like a Maruti 1000 and the first few times I
shifted from 2nd to 5th missing 3rd but adjusted and got a hang of it quickly during the TD itself. I was so
trying to focus on the engine (and enjoying the TD) that I forgot a few things like checking steering feedback - it's a little
heavier than the Altis' ultra-light-and-easy steering - and the way I'd like it.
Music system is (speakers are) of a "good quality" - now let me qualify that by saying I'm no
audiophile - but before listening to it I'd thought I would need to add a subwoofer but now it looks
like even that's not needed for me.
This time I didn't allow my folks to accompany me during the main TD because they wouldn't stop
chattering the last time and let me concentrate. This time I asked the Honda guy to drive
(after I'd done my TD) while my mom and I sat in the back and he took my dad for a third
outing while he sat in the back. This time got the thumbs-up from them that the back was plenty
spacious and the ride was comfortable 🙂
The Honda guy was quite knowledgeable, cooperative and enthusiastic the entire time so that was
another thing that impressed me and my folks and we noted that when he went on his way.
So in the end, I only took a TD of the Altis last week because it's "cheaper and better equipped" than
the Civic and also many user reviews claim it's a good (if not better) car. I have to say its just plain
incorrect, the Civic is well worth the extra cost, and not just from a "driving enthusiast" point of
view but also from other aspects like the feel of luxury and build quality (its like a segment above) and
the roomy interiors. I just remembered I didn't open the Civic's boot - the Altis' was like a cargo truck -
but it's not important to me and I'm guessing it will be smaller given the longer wheelbase and roomy rear legroom.
If Honda's range and cost of vehicles were closer to Toyota's (like if they added an Innova competitor) then
they (Toyota) would have to pack up their bags and shut their India operations.
I'm now totally smitten with the Civic's looks and performance and this is the car to get. Only if it
doesn't work out will I bother to move on to testing others like the Cedia, City and Fiesta. This would
be a very nice upgrade from the dull (and sometimes painfully annoying) daily Palio ride that I've had
to endure for a few years now.
----------
From the Honda website (and newspaper ad): http://www.hondacarindia.com/images/media_center/civic-interior2.jpg